Treatment of yarns and the like with liquids



Sept- 2 1960 L. ARMSTRONG TREATMENT OF YARNS AND THE." LIKE WITH LIQUIDS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 8, 1953 Sept. 20, 1960 ARMSTRONG TREATMENT OF YARNS AND THE LIKE WITH LIQUIDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 8, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 4Mm/1 Z M1 Sept. 20, 1960 L. ARMSTRONG TREATMENT OF YARNS AND THE LIKE WITH LIQUIDS I Original Filed Dec. 8, 1953 5 Sheets-Shea t 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent() M TREA'IMENT'OFYARNS'ANDTHELIKE:

WITHLIQUIDS l Continuation of application- Ser. No; 396,890 Dec. 8,, 1953. This application Dec.18, 19'57,'S er. No. 703,574

Glaims priority,;application Great Britain Dec. 18, 1952 7 Claims. (Cl. 117-111) The present invention relates to the continuous applicationi ofta substance containedin; a liquid to amoving lengthof material suchfor example as yarn, sheet, rope, thread, ribbon, web, filament or assemblage of yarns, threadsor filamentslhereinafter referred to as: material). The substance contained in the liquid may be a. solid whichisdissolved, dispersed or emulsified therein;

This application is a continuation of" my co-pending application Serial No. 396,890, filed DecemberS; 1953', now; abandoned.

The invention is especially applicable tothe sizing of textilematerials such as yarns. but is also applicable'for example to the sizing of: other textile-materials or of paperj or to the filling oftextile materials or of paper or, to the dyeing of textile materials in which processes it: isldesirable to ensure that a prescribed quantity of the applied substance, whether a liquid or a solid, is ultimately retained by thematerial per unit lengththereof. H Insuch processes the actual amount. of the applied substance, taken up by the material per unit. length: thereof can. vary during thetreatment. of a run of material" asa result ofrvariations. in character. of the liquid and in particular upon variations in the concentration of the substance, therein and one object of theinvention is to compensate for. and correct. such variations in order to kccpjtherateoftaketup oftthe substance per unit length (If; material at at substantiallyconstant pre -determined value.

A, traditional method of sizing yarnis topass the yarn beneath a,roller partly immersed in a. size box and then tozpass it; betweenasqueeze rolls of. which the lower roll is also; partly immersed inhthesizer The sizebox -com- 1 .rnonly has a capacity. or: about 60 to180' gallons so that approximately that amount: ofrsize remains at: the end f-ja1sizing operation andis often; wasted: A. further-defeet, of; the traditional method of: sizing, is that: itis not practicable, accurately to monitor the 'amount'of size or other'liquid applied: to the yarnzper. unit Iength duringa izingr n;

I One object. of" thepresent invention is to reduce to a relatively. small quantity the amount: of size' orwother liquidgwhich;must necessarily remainat; the end of a run.

Another objectof: the. invention IiS; asnliereinbefore mentioned, tomaintain. the application. ofithe substance to'the material, at auniform rate per unit lengthlduring the treatment ofraarun. of: the material; Where thesubstance-to beyappliedato-theimaterial isva. solidibut is for convenience-of; application dissolved; dispersed or: emulsified inla liquid,"the object of the invention is of course to apply to the material a uniform quantity-of the solid and:to-control the application of the liquid to that end. One feature: of the present invention consists in a method of continuously applying liquid to a tnoving length of material, such for example as size to yarn in which-thematerial passes between two rotatingrolls and liquid is fed to the bightjbetween the rolls, into edge of the blade in engagement therewith.

'. respectively corresponding to aportion of Fig; l, eluding some; modifications thereto,

which the yarn is fed without allowing either of the rolls to dip into a bath of the liquid therebeneath.

According to another feature of the invention the material is passed between two rotating rolls and a quantity of the liquid is maintained in the bight between the rolls into, which the material is fed by feeding liquid directly to at least one of the rolls at a level above the lowermost part of the path of travel of the surface of the roll, whereby to avoid the need to allow the roll to pick up liquid from a bath-of the liquid therebeneath.

According to a further feature of the invention the material is passed between two rotating rolls and a quantity of the liquid is maintained in the bight between the rolls into which the material is fed by feedingliquid directly to the bight or by feeding liquid directly to at least one of the rolls at a level above the lowermost part of the roll and at a position from which it will be moved to the bight by the rotation of the roll without necessarily passing through the lowermost part of the path of travel-of the surface of the roll.

A further'feature of the invention consists in feeding theliquid, at a rate greater than that at which it is taken up-bythe material, from a supply of the liquid which supply is maintained by feeding thereto a concentrated liquid at a uniform rate proportional to that at which theliquid is intended to be taken up by the material and byfeeding to said supply a diluting liquid at a rate sufiicient to keep said supply at a given volume. In other words the said supply of the liquid is maintained by feeding thereto a concentrated liquid at said uniform rate andby-feeding to the supply a diluting liquid at a rate which is controlled so as to increase or decrease respectively when the rate at which the liquid is taken up by the material-is above or below that intended.

An apparatus according to the present invention for supplying liquid to a moving length of material embodies two-rolls arranged to form bights therebetween and betweenwhich the material can be passed, a small liquid the surface of one of the rolls, and means for supplying .liquidto said reservoir.

Said reservoir may be wholly constituted by the surfaces of; the rolls at the upper bight or by the said surfaces of the rolls and by end walls fitting into the bight or byl the surface of the lower of the two aforesaid rolls and-Z by a smaller'roll in engagement therewith at a position from which the surface of the lower of said rolls moves towards the bight into which the material is fed.

- Alternatively the reservoir may comprise a trough extending along one of'the rolls which forms a wall of thetrough along that side-ofthe trough adjacent thereto. In such an arrangement the base of the reservoir may consist, of a blade whose edge engages the roll" whereby theroll willform a wall to enclose the trough along the The reservoir may besupplied by a supply tankorbox by, meansofapump which deliversliquid to the reservoir at, a substantially constant rate sufficient to cause 'the reservoir tooverflow, a hopper being arranged beneath .therrolls tocatch liquid draining from the rolls and-from the, reservoir 'and:to, returnsaid liquid to saidsupply 'tank or box.

. The invention is further described with reference to the, accompanying drawings which illustrate apparatus suitable for. the-application of sizeto yarn and-in-which: Fig.1, l is, a diagrammatic side view of' oneform- 0 apparatus,v

- Figs. 2 and 3 are a diagrammatic plan andfronttview andain- Fig. 4 diagrammatically illustrates a second mode of 'applyin g liquid to yarn or the like,

Figs. and 6 are a diagrammatic fragmentary side elevation and plan view respectively showinga development of the arrangement of Fig. 4, p I Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating a further mode of applying liquid to yarn or the like,

Fig. 8 is a front perspective view of a sizing machine according to the present invention,

Fig. 9 is a rear perspective view corresponding to Fig. 8,

Fig. is a sectional view of a detail, and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a detail.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 yarn 1 is fed between squeeze rolls 2 and 3 and size or other liquid, appropriately diluted, is fed from a supply or mixing tank or box 4 by a pump 5 to a reservoir 6 the edge of Whose base forms a blade which engages the roll 3 near the bight between the rolls 2, 3. The diluted liquid is fed from the box 4 to the reservoir 6 at a rate in excess of that at which liquid is removed by the yarn 1 from the reservoir 6. The surface of roll 3 constitutes one of the walls of the reservoir 6. Near its rearward edge the base is provided with a low wall 7 and at each end it is provided with a low wall 8 in which a V notch or weir is preferably formed in order to keep the liquid in the reservoir at a predetermined level and to allow it to overflow at predetermined points.

A slightly modified reservoir 6 is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 which show an alternative method of allowing surplus liquid to escape therefrom.

In Fig. 3 the base has end walls 8 which are not notched. Instead of notching the end walls, outlet pipes 9 are provided at each end of the reservoir, each protruding by a given like distance above the bottom of the reservoir. The liquid is supplied to the reservoir from the mixing tank 4 at an excess rate by means of a central feed pipe 16 above which is arranged a deflector dome 11. By using a central feed pipe 10 and the out- .flow pipes 9, the liquid is caused to flow from the centre of the reservoir towards the ends 8. To assist further the lateral flow of liquid, apertured bafile plates 12 may be introduced across the reservoir between the centre feed pipe 10 and the outflow pipes 9. Obviously the flow could be arranged to take place in the opposite direction or alternatively a horizontal feed pipe might be arranged above the reservoir with a plurality of outlets at spaced intervals along the reservoir.

It will be clear that the rotation of the roll 3 in a clockwise direction will cause the liquid to be fed from the reservoir 6 into the bight between the rolls 2, 3 and thus applied to the yarn 1.

Instead of using a flat base with a wall 7 along its rear edge an upwardly curved base could obviously be employed. The blade may meet the roll 3 at any suitable angle.

In Fig. l a hopper 13 is arranged beneath the roll 3 to catch any liquid draining from roll 3 and to catch liquid overflowing from the reservoir 6. A return con nection 14 from the hopper leads back to the mixing box 4. All size not applied to the yarn returns to box 4.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the outflow pipes 9 may lead into the hopper 13 or alternatively may be connected directly with the mixing box 4. In either case the hopper 13 would be required to receive liquid draining from the roll 3. i

In the alternative arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the yarn 1 is fed downwardly between two rolls 2 and 3 lying side by side to present an upwardly directed bight '15 which can serve as a small reservoir and into which size can be fed at an excess rate by any suitable means such as a horizontally disposed feed pipe 16 connected with pump 5 of Fig. 1 and apertured at intervals along the length thereof which lies above the bight 15. In the ar- 4 rangement shown in Fig. 4 the plane containing the axes of the rolls 2 and '3 is horizontal but the rolls need not necessarily be at the same level and the said plane may be tilted up to say 45 in either direction.

To maintain the liquid at a predetermined level in the reservoir formed by the bight 15 an end wall 17 may be provided in the bight at each end of the rolls 2, 3 (Figs. 5 and 6). These end walls are preferably provided with an outflow pipe at a given level indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5 by the reference numeral 18.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 the squeeze rolls 2, 3 are arranged one above the other as in Fig. 1 but the liquid reservoir is formed by the squeeze roll 3 and an idler roll '19 in engagement therewith, the clockwise rotation of the roll 3 carrying the liquid from the bight between the rolls 3 and 19 up to the bight between the rolls 2 and 3 through which the yarn 1 is passed. End pieces may be provided between the rolls 3 and 19 somewhat similar to those shown at 17 in the arrangement according to Fig. 5. A hopper 13 is provided beneath the roll 3 to catch any liquid draining from the rolls.

Referring again to Fig. 1, a quantity of concentrated liquor which may be little more than suflicient to deal with a given run of yarn may be contained, at the outset of a run, in a stock liquor tank 20 and fed by a metering pump 21 to the mixing box 4 at a rate predetermined by the desired rate of application of size to the yarn 1. A diluting liquid such as hot water is fed to the mixing box 4 from a tank 22 through a valve 23 controlled by the level of the liquid in the mixing box 4 so that a constant level is maintained in mixing box 4.

The mixing box 4 may be relatively small and may contain for example two gallons of the diluted liquor. The capacity of the reservoir 6 may be much smaller than that of the mixing box 4 and may be of the order of say one or two quarts. If the quantity of concentrated liquor required for a particular run is known accurately in advance then it is possible for the concentrated liquor to be pumped from the tank 20 to'the mixing box 4 and for the diluted liquor to be pumped from the mixing box 4 to the reservoir 6 so that at the end of a run the tank 20 should be empty or substantially so leaving only about two and a half gallons of the diluted liquor in the mixing box 4 and reservoir 6 .to be run to waste at the end of a sizing run.

Since the rate of supply by the pump Sis constant and that of pump 21 is predetermined by the intended rate of application of size to yarn 1 and since the mixing box will be maintained at a given level by the supply of a diluting liquid from the tank 22 it follows that the contration of the liquid reaching the reservoir 6 will be maintained substantially at a suitable value to ensure that the solids applied to the yarn. Thus, if the material passing between the rolls 2, 3, takes up solids at too great a rate, solids will be leaving the reservoir at a greater rate than that at which they are being supplied by the pump, and since the level of the liquid in box 4 is being maintained constant, the liquid will be diluted until its concentration is such that the material takes up the correct weight of solids. On the other hand, if the takeup of solids by' the material is too low because the liquid is too highly diluted, solids will be leaving the reservoir 6 at a lower rate than that at which they are being supplied by the'pump and so the concentration of the to overflow from the reservoir 6 to a hopper 13 extending therebeneath and beneath roll 3'. The hopper 13 is arranged to discharge directly into the box 4 at 43 (Fig. 8).

The reservoir 6'is supported at; each end from a beam 44 (Figs. 8 and 11) by inverted L-shaped angle members 45jof circular section, of which each passes through holes in the flanges of the beam 44' and through a block 46 secured,- as by welding, to the upper flange. Each angle member can be hel-dat any desired elevation bya pinching screw 47 which engages in a threadedopening in the block 46. A clamp 48 is supported on the upper arm 49 of each; of; the; angle members-45 and supports a spindle 50 extendingfromone end ofthe reservoir. 6. The clamp 48 can be tightened to lock itself upon the arm 49 and the spindleSO-by means-ofa wing nut 51-. Thus, the level and thetangularityofthe-reservoir 6- can readily'be-adjustedin relationto the roll- 3-.

Referring again-,toFig. 8, water-enters the mixing box 4 through a pipe 52 under the, control of an electromagnetic valve '3'whichin turn-is controlled by an electrical liquid level detector 54'wliichprojects downwardly into the box 4.

Water is discharged from pipe 52 through apertures in a gallery pipe 55 which lies above an outlet slot 56 in the horizontal end of a pipe 57 through which concentrated size is supplied to the box 4.

A deflector plate 58 extends downwardly into the box 4 and the pump 5 draws from the right hand side of the deflector plate as viewed in Fig. 8. A small space is left between the sides of the deflector plate 58 and the walls of the box 4 to enable the liquid to pass from the left hand side to the right hand side of the deflector plate 58, whereby to ensure an adequate mixing of the water with the more concentrated size before the mixture reaches the pump 5.

A pipe 60 is provided to feed steam into the box 4 in order to heat the liquid therein. A separate size feed pipe 61 is provided for priming the box 4 at the commencement of a run.

The concentrated size is supplied from a tank 62, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9, and is fed at a constant rate to the pipe 57 by means of a metering pump 63 driven from the shaft 31 through a gearbox 12 which can be manipulated or modified to change the gear ratio thereof. Concentrated size is supplied from the tank 62 to the metering pump 63 by means of a feed pump 64 and pipe 65. A branch pipe or by-pass 66 leaves the pipe 65 at a point 67 near to the metering pump 63 and discharges to the tank 62 so that the pump 64 is able to circulate the concentrated size downwardly through the pipe 65 to a point very near to the pump 63, and then to return it through the pipe 66 to the tank 62, so that size of uniform quality will be drawn by the metering pump 63.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the application of size to yarn, it will be appreciated that it can be used for the application of a liquid to any material in the length to which it is desired to apply a liquid or a solid contained in a liquid at a specified rate per unit length.

I claim:

1. A method of continuously applying, at a substantially uniform rate, to a material a substance contained in a liquid, which comprises the steps of feeding to a mixing zone concentrated liquid containing said substance at a rate of feed substantially equal to the rate at which the subs't ancefisftobe takenup by the material, feeding} to -said mixing--zone a diluting liquid," passing said material between two rotating rollsdisposed side-by-side to one -another',- continuously withdrawing and circulating diluted liquidilfromlsaidmixingzone at a rate in excess of that at which-diluted liquidis taken upbythe material, feeding said=withdrawn liquid to an upwardly directed bight betweensaid'rolls to establish a quantityof liquid in said bight, draining and returning to said mixing zoneexcess withdrawn liquid, sensing any variations in the quantity ofdiluted liquid in said mixing zone a and varying the rate of= feed of diluting-liquid thereto in accordance therewith.

2. A method- 0f continuously applying at a substantiallyuniform rate toa material a substance contained in a. liquid, which comprises the steps of feeding to a mixing zone concentrated liquid: containing said' substance and at arate of feed substantially equal to the rate at: which the substance is to be taken upby the 'materiahfe'edihg tosaid mixing zone a diluting liquid,

positively. withdrawing diluted liquid from said mixing zone-at arate in excess of the rate at, which itis taken up by t'hematerial', making withdrawn liquid available for-said reservoir by feeding said withdrawn liquid to an upwardly directed bight between said rolls, andreturningexcesswit-hdrawn liquid to. said mixing zone, passing-saidmaterial through said reservoir prior to engaging it with said rolls and passing it between said rolls, measuring any variation in the quantity of liquid in said mixing zone and altering the rate of addition of diluent to the mixing zone inversely to any such measured variation to maintain the rate of take-up of said substance by the material substantially at said substantially uniform rate.

3. A method for having a material take up at a substantially uniform rate a substance contained in a liquid, which comprises the steps of establishing a mixing zone, feeding a concentrated liquid containing said substance to said mixing zone at a controlled rate substantially equal to the rate at which the substance is desired to be taken up by the material, feeding a diluent to said mixing zone for mixing with said concentrated liquid, and forming a diluted liquid, establishing an applying zone remote from said mixing zone for applying said substance to the material, moving said material through said applying zone, circulating the diluted liquid from the mixing zone to the applying zone by causing the diluted liquid to move from the mixing zone to the applying zone at a constant rate in excess of rate of take up of diluted liquid by the material, returning excess diluted liquid from said applying zone to said mixing zone, measuring any variation in the quantity of liquid in the mixing zone, and altering the rate of addition of diluent to the mixing zone inversely to any such measured variation.

4. Apparatus for applying a substance contained in a liquid at a substantially uniform rate to a material, comprising two squeeze rolls disposed side-by-side to one another and between which the material can be passed, a mixing box remote from the rolls to contain a supply of liquid, means for positively feeding liquid from said mixing box at a substantially constant rate greater than that at which liquid is taken up by the material, directly to at least one of the rolls at a position which will enable the liquid to reach the material passing through the bight between the rolls, means for draining excess liquid back to the mixing box, means for feeding concentrated liquid to said mixing box at a substantially uniform metered rate which will give the intended rate of take-up of the substance by the material, means for supplying a diluting liquid to the mixing box, and means for controlling the supply of the diluting liquid to the aspa ing box substantially constant.

5. Apparatus for coating a length of material with a substance contained in a liquid comprising a pair of squeeze rolls between which the material can be passed,

a mixing box spaced from said rolls for containing a supply of the liquid, means for positively withdrawing and circulating liquid from said mixing box, at a rate greater than that at which liquid is taken up by the material, directly to at least one of the rolls in a position which will enable the liquid to reach the material passing through the bight between said rolls, means for draining excess liquid back to said mixing box, means for positively feeding concentrated liquid to said mixing box at a substantially uniform meteredrate corresponding to the rate of take-up of the substance by said material, means for supplying a diluting liquid to said mixing box, means for measuring variations in the quantity of liquid in 'said mixing box, and control means responsive to said measuring means for controlling the rate of feed of diluting liquid to said mixing box.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including a tank for containing concentrated liquid, a metering pump connected between said concentrated liquid tank and said mixing box, variable ratio transmission means between said pump and at least one of said rolls, a circulating pump independent of said metering pump for withdraw- ,ing and circulating liquid from said mixing box.

7. Apparatus for applying a substance contained in a liquid at a substantially uniform rate to a moving length of material comprising two squeeze rolls between which the material can be passed, a liquid reservoir for the supply of liquid to the material, at least one wall of said reservoir being formed by the surface of one of the rolls,

a mixing box to contain a supply of the liquid, means for feeding the liquid from said mixing box to said reservoir at a rate greater than that at which the liquid is taken up by the material, means for draining excess liquid back to the mixing box, means for feeding concentrated liquid to said mixing box at a substantially uniform rate relative to the speed of the material passing through said rolls, means for supplying a diluting liquid to said mixing box, means for sensing any variation in the quantity of liquid in said mixing box, and means responsive to said sensing means for controlling the supply of diluting liquid fed to said mixing box in accordance with the measured variations in the quantity of diluted liquid in said mixing box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A METHOD OF CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING, AT A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM RATE, TO MATERIAL A SUBSTANCE CONTAINED IN A LIQUID, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF FEEDING TO A MIXING ZONE CONCENTRATED LIQUID CONTAINING SAID SUBSTRATE AT A RATE OF FEED SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE RATE AT WHICH THE SUBSTANCE IS TO BE TAKEN UP BY THE MATERIAL, FEEDING TO SAID MIXING ZONE A DILUTING LIQUID, PASSING SAID MATERIAL BETWEEN TWO ROTATING ROLLS DISPOSED SIDE-BY-SIDE TO ONE ANOTHER, CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING AND CIRCULATING DILUTED LIQUID FROM SAID MIXING ZONE AT A RATE IN EXCESS OF THAT AT WHICH DILUTED LIQUID IS TAKEN UP BY THE MATERIAL, FEEDING SAID WITHDRAWN LIQUID TO AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED BIGHT BETWEEN SAID ROLLS TO ESTABLISH A QUANTITY OF LIQUID IN SAID BIGHT, DRAINING AND RETURNING TO SAID MIXING ZONE EXCESS WITHDRAWN LIQUID, SENSING ANY VARIATIONS IN THE QUANTITY OF DILUTED IN SAID MIXING ZONE AND VARYING THE RATE OF FEED OF DILUTING LIQUID THERETO IN ACCORDANCE THEREWITH. 